1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pillar garnish fastening structure which can strongly attach a pillar garnish to a pillar, suppress an increase in cost and permit an easy removal of the pillar garnish from the pillar when required.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known as a pillar garnish fastening structure for attaching a garnish as a trim to a front pillar, a center pillar or a rear pillar which supports a roof of a vehicle is one described in, for example, JP-B-5-39973U entitled xe2x80x9cAUTOMOBILE TRIM PANEL ATTACHING STRUCTURE.xe2x80x9d
As shown in FIG. 14, the above Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication has a structure for attaching a trim panel 212 to a center pillar 210 by piercing a through hole 210a in the center pillar 210, inserting a tongue 212k on the trim panel 212 and inserting a clip 18 into the tongue 212k. 
The clip 218 is a member including a bevel head portion 218a and a stem 218b extending from the bevel head portion 218a and adapted to provide flexibility by forming a bored portion 218c in the interior of the stem 218b. 
The stem 218b of the clip 218 is a member which is expanded at a central portion thereof, and the stem 218b is put in a diametrically expanded state after it has been inserted into the tongue 212k on the trim panel 212. In attempting to remove the clip 218 in this condition from the tongue 212k, the stem 218b diametrically contracts and is then easily removed. Thus, the clip 218 cannot be used as a fastener, in particular, in such as the trim panel 212 to which a large magnitude of external force tends to be applied.
Then, in order to obtain a large fastening force, it is conceivable that the clip 218 is enlarged to increase the outside diameter of the stem 218b and the diameter of the hole in the tongue 212k or that a bolt is used instead of the clip 218 and a nut is welded to an internal surface of the center pillar 210, so that the trim panel 212 is fastened to the center pillar 210 with the bolt and nut. However, this calls for a great increase in costs.
On the other hand, since there occurs a case where the trim panel 212 has to be removed from the center pillar for some reason like servicing, the clip 218 is also required to be easily removed.
An object of the invention is to provide an improvement in the pillar garnish fastening structure which can strongly attach the pillar garnish to the pillar, suppress an increase in costs due to the improvement and permit an easy removal of the pillar garnish from the pillar when required.
With a view to attaining the object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a pillar garnish fastening structure for attaching a pillar garnish with a fastener to a passenger compartment side of a pillar supporting a roof of a vehicle, the pillar garnish fastening structure being characterized in that the fastener is constituted by a grommet having a diametrically expandable divided distal end portion and a cap provided with a pin adapted to be press fitted in the grommet, in that the divided distal end portion of the grommet is inserted into a hole in the pillar, and in that the pin is press fitted in the grommet, whereby the pin is attached to the grommet and the diametrical contraction of the grommet is prevented by the pin.
The pin is attached to the grommet by press fitting the pin into the grommet and the diametrical contraction of the grommet is prevented by the pin, so that an external surface of the grommet can be kept strongly pressed against the hole in the pillar and the removal of the grommet from the hole is made difficult, whereby the pillar garnish can strongly be attached to the pillar.
In addition, since the pillar garnish attaching hole provided in the pillar may have the same configuration as that for the conventional pin, even when the grommet according to the invention is attempted to be used, no special machining is required. Consequently, it is possible to deal with both vehicle specifications having and not having side air bags by using the same pillar garnish attaching holes but selectively using the conventional clip and the grommet, thereby making it possible to suppress an increase in costs.
Furthermore, since the press-fit pin is only press fitted into the grommet, in the event that the pillar garnish has to be removed for some reason, for example, servicing, the grommet diametrically contracts when the press-fit pin is pulled out of the grommet, whereby the pillar garnish can be easily removed from the pillar.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a locking piece adapted to be locked into the pillar garnish is provided on the cap.
The removal of the pin provided on the cap from the grommet can be made difficult by the locking piece provided on the cap.